Parker
A challenge to North Carolina Prosecutorial District 20A District Attorney Michael Parker’s candidacy for reelection has raised questions over his place of residence.
Parker is seeking reelection against fellow Democrat and Richmond County Attorney Reece Saunders.
Parker responded to the allegations in a press release datelined “Marston,” in which he said he “welcomes the inquiry.”
“My opposition has circulated these rumors for years, and I look forward to vindicating myself on this issue,” Parker said.
He explained he now lives in the Richmond County township of Marston, but splits time on the family farm near Vass in Moore County where he was born and raised.
When he became a prosecutor in 1989, District 20 still included Moore County, which was split off in 1996. The district now just includes Richmond, Anson and Stanly Counties.
“I never left the district, the district left me, so I moved to Richmond County after buying a home here in 2000, and have been very active in community programs in all three counties,” Parker said.
North Carolina Board of Elections General Counsel Don Wright explained the process the state uses to review challenges to the candidacy of someone.
“A panel will be appointed by the state board of elections, made up of individual members from the board of elections in those three counties,” Wright explained. “It can be a three or a five-member panel - that is a decision the state board has to make.”
The state board of elections is scheduled to meet Thursday, when the issue could be heard, Wright said.
The concern is that the matter could drag on and not allow for adequate time to advertise the official ballot before the May primary.
“The panel will conduct an expedited hearing, and it certainly should be heard, according to state law, in a timely manner prior to the May primary,” Wright said.
North Carolina General Statute gives the candidate the burden of proving they live where they say they do, and provides three conditions that must be met.
First, “an actual abandonment of the first domicile, coupled with an intent not to return to the first domicile.”.
Second, “the acquisition of a new domicile by actual residence at another place,” must be proven.
And third, the candidate must prove “the intent of making the newer domicile a permanent domicile.”
Parker was appointed district attorney by the Easley administration in 2004 when the seat became vacant between elections.
Voters in the three counties elected him to a four-year term in 2006.
In the release, Parker also discussed his prior dealings with Faye Gathings of Lilesville, who filed the challenge with the Anson County Board of Elections and “is no stranger” to him.
“She used a similar tactic in 2006 when she filed a petition to remove Parker from office for his 2005 decision not to indict Joy Burgess in the death of her son,” the release reads. “Gathings has also sued Parker, and attempted to have petitions signed following his decision.”
Brian Gathings was killed after he broke into the Burgess home on the night of Dec. 1, 2004, according to the release. He had charges pending against him in District and Superior Court at the time of his death. One of his court dates was set for Dec. 2, 2004.
The release also says Gathings had been ordered to stay away from Burgess because of a history of domestic violence in their relationship.
“My decision in Gathings’ death was that of a justified homicide, based upon his conduct before and during the break-in, and (North Carolina General Statute) 14-51.1, which provides for the use of deadly force against an intruder,” Parker said.
Gathings said her motivation “was not to hurt Mr. Parker personally in any way.”
“I just don’t believe Mr. Parker has the best interest of the people of North Carolina Prosecutorial District 20A at heart,” Gathings said. “I believe he is more interested in furthering his career than he is about justice, and my goal is to make sure he is voted out of office.”
She also accused Parker of using her son’s homicide to skirt questions over his residency as well as “being willing to sacrifice my son with only a pretext of an investigation.”
“But this isn’t about what happened to my son, this is all about Mr. Parker and his honesty,” Gathings said. “He is not an honest person, he doesn’t live in our district and I think the evidence will show that he doesn’t.”
Staff Writer Philip D. Brown can be reached at (910) 997-3111 ext. 32, or by e-mail at pbrown@yourdailyjournal.com.
So Parker owns property out of county that has been in his family for many years - Big Deal. Does the fact that a bunch of Richmond County Criminal Defense Lawyers own houses at the beach make them any less residents of Richmond County? If this man chooses to spend some weekends baling hay or putting up fence posts to preserve a family legacy for his children instead of sunning himself at North Myrtle, I say he should go for it. It is that kind of man, down-to-earth and dedicated to hard, honest work, that this county needs.
As stated so well by Tomdapopo in an earlier post, do your own checking. Michael Parker is a career prosecutor who has handled the challenges of his office with class and dignity. In doing so, DA Parker has earned the respect of his prosecutorial colleagues throughout the state. I think you can judge a public servant on what his peers think of him. After talking to a number of prosecutors, I know DA Parker has my vote! (Perhaps it is those who feel entitled to special treatment who resent having an evenhanded DA who decides cases on merit rather than favoritism - rhamlover?)
"First, 'an actual abandonment of the first domicile, coupled with an intent not to return to the first domicile.'"
So he basically admits that he broke the first rule.
But my main concern isn't where he lives. He has forced himself into getting an entire floor for the DA's office in the new courthouse. After the county commissioners voted not to get him that equipment, he went around them and what had already voted on.
As far as the RHA situation, it will take a long while to clean up the mess, no thanks to those who were in charge there. More waste to the taxpayers there too.